Teachers teach and education conquers

SKUKUZA – Mpumalanga’s Department of Education celebrated outstanding teachers during the National Teaching Awards in the Kruger National Park (KNP) last week.

MEC, Ms Reginah Mhaule, delivered a keynote address at the ceremony. She also urged learners and youth to consider taking this up as a career. “There is a huge demand for teachers in the province and countrywide because of the exodus of teachers, I humbly request some of our learners to take it up as a profession,” Mhaule said.

She made a request to teachers to revive the honour and pride of the profession by becoming good role models in their communities through their deeds and actions.”We all need to understand the bigger picture and know that the greatest weapon available to fight poverty and inequality is education. In the absence of education chaos and poverty reign,” she said.

She added that the profession suffered a blow and has lost a lot of its spark. According to her, that has a negative effect on the recruitment of young teachers. “It is well known all over the world that teaching is a calling not just a profession. This is true as to be a good teacher it requires selfless character and putting the interest of learners at the top of the value chain,” the MEC said.

According to Mhaule, the role of teachers was taken for granted in communities. She said they were pillars of the society and continued to lay a great foundation for each and every learner. Addressing the teachers, she said South Africa was reliant on them to lay the foundation, bricks and mortar for the developmental agenda of the country.

“We are here celebrating and honouring all those dedicated teachers who have chosen to take positive action as opposed to complaining and being disruptive.” She boasted that even the richest men and women who signed off important documents today were taught by a teacher to write their names.